Logan



March 31, 1964 LOGAN 3,126,694

APPARATUS FOR MAKING TINSEL GARLANDS Filed Sept. 15, 1962 1 1; J1] gf 25/ ,24 3 C H ZlLl/I I /////A :l UL/l/l/ lll //r I I'll I ll' 'JHF 1 u In 1N VENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,126,694 APPARATUS FOR MAKING TINSEL GARLANDS Malcolm Logan, Palatine, IlL, assignor to Holi-Gay Mfg. Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 223,317 3 Claims. (Cl. 57-13) The invention relates to improvements in tinsel garlands for use in making decorative displays and is more particularly concerned with the novel construction and assembly of apparatus for making such a garland.

More specifically, the tinsel garland is fabricated from pre-coiled wire-like stock which has a length thereof intermediate its ends temporarily held in a straightened condition and advanced longitudinally during which time one or more strips of tinsel material is wrapped therearound after which the wire-like stock with tinsel wound thereon is released to assume substantially its normal coiled condition. The finished product can be cut to any length desired. Heretofore, general practice in making tinsel branches or other ornamental devices, such as artificial Christmas trees has involved rotating a straight wire strand so as to cause a strip or strips of tinsel material fed thereto at an obtuse angle to become wound thereon with the wire strand serving as a core. If a coiled garland is desired, the wrapped straight wire core must then be coiled carefully so as not to permanently distort the tinsel material wound thereon. Distortion of and possible damage to the finished product is avoided when the wirelike stock is in the coiled configuration herein disclosed.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new article of manufacture.

Another object is to provide novel apparatus for winding tinsel strips on a length of coiled wire-like stock.

The apparatus and means by which the above noted and other objects and advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a representative form of apparatus useful in performing the method of the present invention, showing parts in section.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail elevational view of a garland assembly operation.

In the accompanying drawings, which depict a representative embodiment of an apparatus useful in practicing the herein disclosed method of tinsel garland manufacture, 11 is representative of a rigid elevated support surface having an opening 12 therein and a motor 13 mounted thereon outwardly radially of said opening. The motor 13 is mounted with its axis radially disposed relative to said opening 12 and parallel to the plane of surface 11. This motor is mounted in a manner to advance toward the opening during its operation, any suitable means being provided for this purpose. In the present disclosure this means may include a driven pinion 14 cooperating with a rack 15. The motor shaft mounts a suitable chuck 16 for engaging securely one end of a tight coil of Wire-like stock 17, the other end of which is extended downwardly through opening 12.

The opening 12 mounts a rotor, generally indicated at 18, that includes a tubular bearing boss 19 having an antifriction bearing engagement, as at 21, with support surface 11. A pulley 22 is integrally connected with the bearing boss. A belt or other driven means 23 affords a drive connection between pulley 22 and a motor 24 also suitably supported by support surface 11, or otherwise.

The lower end of rotor 16 includes a pair of diametrically opposed arms 25, although more or less arms may be provided or a disc substituted therefor. Each arm 3,126,694 Patented Mar. 31, 1964 mounts on its end a spool 26 adapted to carry a roll of tinsel strip material 27. As best shown in FIG. 2, this tinsel strip consists of a ribbon of any suitable material such, for example, as aluminum foil, plastic film or paper, having a series of transverse slits extending inwardly from one edge to define a multitude of thin fingers 28.

At the initial stage of the winding operation, the free ends of the tinsel strip material are secured, as by an adhesive or otherwise, to the length of wire-like stock extending beneath rotor 18. Motors 13 and 24 are then placed in operation so as to slowly feed the wire-like strand down through opening 12 and simultaneously rotate rotor 18 and cause the tinsel strip material 27 to be wound upon the wire-like strand helically. During the feeding and winding operation, the wire-like strand may be held taut manually or by some mechanical means not shown and, following such winding, the wire-like strand with the tinsel strip wrapped thereon is permitted to return substantially to its initial coiled condition as indicated at 29, although now slightly larger in diameter than the diam eter of the original coil.

The finished tinsel coil can then be cut to any desired length and the lengths used as ornamental displays. It should be understood that although a strand of steel wire is commonly used as a core, said core may be comprised of any other suitable shape-retaining material.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure disclosed may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction and means herein described.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of, a support, a motor mounted on said support and having a shaft, a chuck carried by the motor shaft adapted to have one end of a helical coil of stiff wire-like material secured thereto for rotating the helical coil therewith, said support having an opening therein spaced from said motor and through which the other end of the stiff wire-like material of the coil is adapted to be fed during motor operation, means to advance the motor and coil toward the opening during motor operation, at least one spool carrying a rolled strip of tinsel material having its free end connected to said wire-like strand mounted beneath said support outwardly radially of said opening, and means to advance said spool in a circular path around said opening.

2. In an apparatus for winding a strip of tinsel material around a strand, a support, a motor mounted on said support and adapted to be connected to one end of a helical coil of strand-like material for rotating the coil therewith, said support having an opening therein through which the other end of the coil strand is fed during operation of the motor, means to advance the motor and coil toward the opening during motor operation, at least one reel carrying a roll of tinsel material having its free end connected to said strand as it emerges from said opening, and means to cause the reel to rotate about the strand so as to wind the strip on said strand helically.

3. In an apparatus for winding a strip of material around a strand of a helical coil of stiff wire, a support, said support having an opening therein, a motor mounted on said support outwardly radially of said opening with its shaft parallel to the radii, means connecting one end of said helical coil to said shaft and in axial alignment therewith, the other end of said helical coil being extended through said opening, means to advance said motor and coil inwardly radially toward said opening during operation of said motor so as to unwind the helical coil and advance the strand through said opening, at least one roll of tinsel material having its free end connected to said strand as it emerges from said opening, and means to rotate the roll of tinsel bodily about the strand so as to helically wind the tinsel material around the strand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 360,000 Darnall Mar. 29, 1887 4 Wiebke Aug. 24, 1915 Willis Feb. 21, 1928 Sexton Dec. 2, 1930 Ruf Apr. 21, 1931 Bradford Jan. 2, 1934 Bradford Nov. 26, 1935 Wisotf Mar. 29, 1938 Rea Apr. 2, 1957 Cooker May 26, 1959 

1. IN A MACHINE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, THE COMBINATION OF, A SUPPORT, A MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING A SHAFT, A CHUCK CARRIED BY THE MOTOR SHAFT ADAPTED TO HAVE ONE END OF A HELICAL COIL OF STIFF WIRE-LIKE MATERIAL SECURED THERETO FOR ROTATING THE HELICAL COIL THEREWITH, SAID SUPPORT HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN SPACED FROM SAID MOTOR AND THROUGH WHICH THE OTHER END OF THE STIFF WIRE-LIKE MATERIAL OF THE COIL IS ADAPTED TO BE FED DURING MOTOR OPERATION, MEANS TO ADVANCE THE MOTOR AND COIL TOWARD THE OPENING DURING MOTOR OPERATION, AT LEAST ONE SPOOL CARRYING A ROLLED STRIP OF TINSEL MATERIAL HAVING ITS FREE END CONNECTED TO SAID WIRE-LIKE STRAND MOUNTED BENEATH SAID SUPPORT OUTWARDLY RADIALLY OF SAID OPENING, AND MEANS TO ADVANCE SAID SPOOL IN A CIRCULAR PATH AROUND SAID OPENING. 